'only riding on paved roads' you mean only riding on roads made for cars (as opposed to dirt, gravel, etc...)? I can't see a path from Belgium to Italy that would be paved all the way or is there one?
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jv42May 31 '11 at 14:02

What kind of brakes are on your existing bikes?
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Neil FeinMay 31 '11 at 14:18

I meant we will be going for roads made for cars, the occasional cobblestone, and a some countryside roads. My bike currently has the MAFAC Centerpulls. My question mostly concersn with kind of brake padding I should use (eg composite rubber...)
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romeovsMay 31 '11 at 14:42

I updated the title to match your new description.
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lantiusMay 31 '11 at 21:27

2

"I don't want wear on my new rims", then you should be using disk brake pads :)
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МסžMay 31 '11 at 23:51

5 Answers
5

The trick with rim brakes is to get ones with replaceable blocks. In that way you can setup the brakes once so that they have perfect toe-in (small gap at back so they do not squeal) and so that they hit the rim dead-centre (not at an angle, falling off the bottom or hitting the tyre). Then, when the brakes get worn you can simply replace the inserts and not have to start again with the setup.

Due to different places selling different stuff and having made an investment in your setup, it then becomes a matter of what are the most widely available inserts. In the UK this probably means the 'Aztec' brand. From my personal experience the after-market Aztec blocks and shoes are better than the cheeze-o-blocks that Shimano supply. 'Kool Stop' are also pretty good and widely available in selected markets.

As for choice of rubber, if you are undecided, what is wrong with dual compound? In that way you get durability and stopping power all in one.

I am not wanting to specify a shop/endorse a brand, however, here is what you should be looking for (as Googled earlier).

You can always try the different compounds to see what works best front/rear, what wears your rims out quickest (soft on rear is a good idea as rear rims wear quicker) and what fits your budget.

Moving forward, the replacement shoes are a double whammy of time savings and money savings. Not only are they quicker to replace, they are cheaper and you do not lose your settings.

I have no qualms about recommending a brand because I ride 3000-4000 miles a year and have tried and worn out a lot of different brakes.

Hands down, the best pad for touring that I have used is the Kool-Stop dual-compound mountain shoes but they are unfortunately for linear-pull brakes only.

Next best is the Kool-Stop Mountain Salmon, which are suitable for all bike types (not just MTBs) with non-linear-type rim brakes. These have a bit less durability than the dual compound pads but slightly better stopping power.

thanks for the tip; but my question was really aimed at the "type" of brake pad. One has a choice of many things (one kind of rubber, three kinds of rubber, hard rubber, soft rubber,...)
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romeovsMay 31 '11 at 17:31

Then whatever type of rubber is used on that brake pad. :)
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chrisMay 31 '11 at 17:40

come[ing] with a multi friction compound set up, but single or dual
compounds can also be configured.

I have found them to work well on a loaded touring bike in dry and wet conditions. Without a doubt the whole upgrade to the bike (going from cantilever brakes to v-brakes) was a significant improvement. How much is just down to the pads I cannot say.